Innocent Trust
by shadowsteed
Summary: The life of a dragon in the mortal body is not easy. Guided by her own choices, and the hand of the fate itself, the Dovahkiin must strugle through the endless challenges to protect what is hers to protect and find out what she really is and what she really cares about in this world. Fortunately, she is never alone.


Innocent Trust

Chapter 1.

"Sahrotaar, Ziil Los Dii Du!" Miraak's clear voice rang through the dark halls and corridors of Apocrypha, painfully striking into the heart of the Dragonborn that challenged him, as she realised what that meant, before she saw the said dragon crumbling to the ground, turning into bones. And Miraak knew pretty well, how much it hurt her, he could see it, even that he could not understand.

"Tell me, Dragonborn," he said, watching her as she gave out an almost dragon-like roar, and turned her attention back to him. "Why do you weep for this creature? You, the famous slayer of Alduin the World-Eater, and you can't stand the death of one unimportant dragon? His life will fade in the currents of time, as much as yours."

The mocking tone in his voice didn't escape her, but she didn't care about that. As she took another arrow from her quiver, she growled in anger.

"Alduin was a magnificient and admirable creature, and I have never celebrated his death. We both have our chances to fulfil our destinies, and I won. He had to be killed, for the better good, for I will never abandon what I decided to protect, but when the right time will come, he will return. That is not in my hands anymore. But you, Miraak, you are nothing. Your time in history has ended, and it is you who will fade in time when I'm done with you."

She released the arrow and it flew through the air with surprising speed and embeded himself in his enchanted armor. It hurt, he couldn't hide his pain. But he was also very strong.

"And one more thing, Miraak." she said, taking out her axe. "I never hated Alduin, I'm sure he hated me, but I never truly hated neither him nor any other dragon. I am bound with eternal friendship to these creatures, not all of them of course, but that is their nature after all. You could never understand that, as much as I could never fully understand your hate for them. For me, every dragon's life is important, but for you, they are nothing but slaves. Sahrotaar has been forced to serve you for too long. For his help, I promised him freedom, and that's exactly what I would do. And now you killed him, and you will die for it." And with that final word, she raised her weapon and rushed to him, and the two Dragonborns met in battle for one final time.

...

Vulzukiin. That was her name. Not her real name of course. It was a name she gave herself after she talked with Alduin for the first time. The black dragon was not hiding his disdain towards her, but after all, their were made enemies by the destiny itself. He told her that he didn't see any dragon in her, and from that time, she aimed to change that. She promised herself, that she will make herself a challenge for him, if nothing else. Perhaps she wanted to give him an honourable death as well. And so she gave herself a dragon name, a one she felt was fitting for her. Her old name was slowly forgotten even by herself.

...

It was a cold morning that day, the last remnants of the short and barely noticeable summer in Skyrim was slowly giving away to the upcoming autumn, and it will not be long before the winter will once again take it's grip upon these lands. In Skyrim, people were scarcely aware of these minor changes, perhaps except for the farmers. These hard people who dedicated their lives to feed the others still had to find order in their perception of time in order to bring their work to fruitition succesfully. But everybody knew that no matter what season is, it will always be the same in Skyrim.

A lone mountain, standing tall in all her glory, watching over the whole Tamriel in her majestic silence. The High Hrothgar was above the matters of the world above it, but down in it's shadow, life will become a lot more intersting this morning. There stood a lone village, a small settlement called Helgen, one of the first stops you will meet if you're heading from Cyrodiil. The people in there were yet oblivious to what was about to happen in their peaceful home, but not far from them, their fate was coming close.

Two waggons, guarden by several horsemen, were making their way to Helgen. It was all for one simple purpose. These waggons were filled with the Stormcloaks. The civil was in Skyrim was long and tiring, but after all this time, the Empire finally managed to capture Ulfric Stormcloak. In their eyes, it was probably pointless to bring him in front of the trial, and so they deciced to cut his head right away, along with all who followed him.

What they didn't know however, was that not everyone they caught was a Stormcloak. A lone Argonian was sitting in one of the waggons. She was unconscious a while ago, but now she slowly started to stir. She opened her blurry eyes, and as her sight slowly cleared, she looked around in slight surprise.

It was a trap, a rather wicked one, and she was a unlucky to be in a bad time in a bad place. It was some time ago when she decided to leave Black Marsh, searching for something she couldn't quite comprehend in her head, but after her parents died, she really didn't have much to leave behind. For some years, she found home in Cyrodiil, but the land was still disarranged. The great event known as the Oblivion Crisis was still very much seen, even after two hunded years, and so, she decided to leave. Something was calling her to Skyrim, guiding her steps, and so she ended up here, riding a small, but sturdy steed she purchased in Bruma. It was a long journey through the mountains, and when she finally reached the crossing, she was so tired that she almost didn't noticed the travelling Stormcloaks. And she certainly didn't noticed the Imperials. Shortly, she was knocked of the horse before she realised what was happening, and next thing she knew, she was bound on this waggon, being taken who knows where.

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes, was a Nord, sitting on the opposite side of the waggon. It was rather confusing at first, but when she saw the uniform he ws wearing, and the Imperial soldier that was drivind the waggon, she groaned in frustration. The Nord raised his head and surprised her with a smile. "Hey, you, finally awake." he said and she nodded in silence. She would like to stretch her limbs a little, but she found her hands tied with a thick leather strap. "You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there."

She looked around the waggon. They were two more Nords sitting there. One was just a thief, there was more than clear from his ragged appearance, and the frightened look in his eyes, but the other one, that was a man that picked her interest. He was not only bounded, but gagged as well, so he couldn't speak. But what fascinated her was the totally calm appearance he head, as if he wasn't scared at all. And then she noticed his clothes. He wasn't dressed in armor like the Stormcloak soldiers, no this looked way lot more expensive. And then she understood.

"Watch you tongue. You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King." She ws torn from her thoughts, and she looked back to the other Nord, barely listening to what the panicking thief was saying. If they had the rebellion leader with them, then she had no illusions about where this was going, and she sighed, knowing that her conquest here will be very short.

It was then when she finally saw the stone walls of Helgen. Shame, she thought to herself, it is a nice village. She would stay here for a few nights, if this wouldn't happen. And the waggons eventually stopped, she looked at the Nord in front of her and this time, she actually smiled back. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the Gods waiting for us." he told her, and together, they jumped from the waggon. The bright sun was shining, and a soft, cold wind was blowing around them, as the young soldier started calling their names. He had a strange accent in his voice, but he actually looked like a kind man, and she pittied him for having to be a part of this war. But, she guessed, he probably to chose to be here himself.

As the two Stormcloaks were lead away, to wait for their turn on the block, the name of the thief was heard though the town. She shook her head when he suddenly lost his nerve and bolted away, trying to escape. He didn't make it far before a single arrow found his way into his back. As the Imperials looked back, she saw the surprise in the soldier's eyes. He looked in his papers, and then on the woman standing next to him.

"Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list." She watched, as the captain looked at her with critical eyes and then waved her hand. "Forget the list, she goes to the block." After that statement, her yellow eyes widened in surpise. She didn't even hear the sad appologies of the soldier, as she was forced to follow the others.

There was an Imperial man. He looked important, probably was. She barely remembered the Nord saying somthing about him on their way here. He was standing in front of Ulfric Stormcloak, and his noble speech didn't hide how much he wanted revenge against this man. The jarl of Windhelm wasn't even given the right to speak for himself, so he could only glare daggers on the Imperial. She would sympathise with him, if she wouldn't be waiting for her death too.

But suddenly, the wind brough a rather strange sound. It sounded like a roar of some big animal, but the Imperials refused to pay it any attention. They wanted to be over with this as soon as possible. A brave Stormcloak soldier stepped forward, silencing a pristess that was politely brought here to prepare them for their deaths, but it was rather mocking the Stormcloaks, as she was speaking of the Eight, and not the Nine. Not that the Argonian would ever want to have anything with the Gods, she wasn't much religious, but still, she understood why the Stormcloaks were fighting. As the head of the man fell to the ground, it awoke many different reactions from the crowd, but she didn't hear that, for she noticed the look the captain was giving her and she new what that meant.

"Next, the lizard!" She sighed, and braced herself, but then, suddenly, she heard it again. The roar, much closer this time. Inside, she felt like something important was just happening, but it didn't seem to save her from the fate. "I said, next prisoner." said the captain agrily. She slowly stepped to the block, and kneeled as she felt a hand pressing itself in her back. She put her head on the block and looked in the ugly face of the headsmen. The man seemed uneffected by what he was doing, but, this was his work after all. She didn't envy him. He raised the giant axe above his head, prepared to strike, when suddenly, something descended from the clouds and landed on the tower behind him. And in this moment, red eyes met the yellow ones and the two main figures of one prophecy looked upon themselves for the very first time.


End file.
